WEBVTT
3
HAPPENING NOW GETTING ILLEGAL
FIREARMS OFF THE STREET.THAT'S
THE GOAL BEHIND A NEW
INITIATIVE IN SAVANNAH.
ALDERMAN VAN JOHNSON IS
HELPING TO LEAD AN EFFORT TO
BUY BACK THESE GUNS.WJCL'S
LAUREN BRADLEY WAS THERE FOR
TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT AND JOINS
US WITH MORE ABOUT THE EFFORT.
3
3
ORGANIZERS SAY THE NEW
COMMUNITY GUN INITIATIVE IS
SIMPLE - GET ILLEGAL GUNS OFF
THE STREET.NOW THEY'RE WORKING
TO SPREAD THE WORD.THIS IS
WHAT'S ON THE STREET OF OUR
COMMUNITY AND UNFORTUNATELY IF
WE DON'T DO SOMETHING QUICKLY
THIS IS HOW A LOT OF THE LIVES
IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL END.
ALDERMAN VAN JOHNSON SAY THE
MORE ILLEGAL GUNS THEY CAN GET
OFF THE STREET - THE SAFER OUR
COMMUNITY WILL BE.THAT'S WHY
HE'S TEAMING UP WITH THE
SAVANNAH YOUTH CITY
INCORPORATED AND STARTING A
GUN BUY BACK PROGRAM.
ORGANIZERS SAY IT STARTS WITH
TRUST.THAT VILLAGE IT TAKES
ALL OF US, AND WHAT WE DO IS
WE SPEAK TO OUR CHILDREN, WE
SPEAK TO OUR NEIGHBORS, WE
SPEAK TO OUR FRIENDS AND WE'RE
NOT AFRAID AND WE SAY WE WANT
YOU TO LIVE WE WANT YOU TO
HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU
DESERVE THAT ARE YOURS.AND
IT'S JUST AS SIMPLE AS THAT.SO
FAR THEY'VE GOT THESE FIVE
GUNS - EACH ONE WENT FOR 100
TO 200 DOLLARS A PIECE.
ORGANIZERS HOPE THIS
COLLECTION WILL GROW AS MORE
PEOPLE COME FORWARD WITH
ILLEGAL GUNS.THAT ROAD OF AN
ILLEGAL GUN OR AN ILLEGAL GUN
IN ILLEGAL HANDS LEADS YOU TO
A CEMETERY OR LEADS YOU TO
PRISON NO ONE KNOWS THAT
BETTER THAN METRO POLICE CHIEF
JOSEPH LUMPKIN.WE SUPPORT
EFFORTS THAT WILL REMOVE THOSE
FIREARMS FROM ILLEGAL OTHER
CITY LEADERS CHIMING IN SAYING
THE SAME THING.ANOTHER LINK IN
THE CHAIN SOMETHING ELSE THAT
CAN HELP WITH EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT WE HAVE GOING AT THIS
POINT TO TRY TO END THIS
VICIOUS CYCLE THESE LEADERS
ARE MAKING THEIR MESSAGE
CLEAR- COME FORWARD AND SAVE
LIVES - INCLUDING YOUR OWN.
HERE IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY HERE
IS YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE A FRESH
START.
3
3
A FRESH START.CHANCE TO MAKE

Community program trades cash for guns

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Updated: 10:21 PM EST Nov 15, 2016

SAVANNAH, Ga. —

A Savannah Alderman and a community organization are leading an effort to get illegal firearms off the streets of Savannah.

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Alderman Van Johnson announced the new gun buyback program Tuesday at the First African Baptist Church. He said he's working with Savannah Youth City, Inc. to get the illegal guns out of the community.

So far, we're told they've collected five guns for $100-$200 a piece. Organizers hope that number grows as more people come forward and trade in their illegal firearms.Beverlee Trotter, of Savannah Youth City, Inc., said it all starts with building trust in the community.

"It takes all of us, and what we do is we speak to our children, we speak to our neighbors, we speak to our friends and we're not afraid," said Trotter. "And we say we want you to live. We want you to have opportunities that you deserve, that are yours. And it's just as simple as that."

Anyone who wants to take advantage of the program can contact Savannah Youth City, Inc. or take the firearms to a church and hand them over there. We're told the guns will be collected and stored until group leaders can figure out what to do with them. Alderman Johnson stressed the importance of tackling the gun violence problem in Savannah.

"That road of an illegal gun or an illegal gun in illegal hands leads you to a cemetery or leads you to prison," said Johnson.

Metro Police Chief Joseph Lumpkin said he supports any initiative that takes illegal firearms out of the community. Alderman Johnson said it's a program that will compliment Metro's End Gun Violence: Step Forward initiative.

Organizers say people who want to give up illegal firearms won't be punished, with no questions asked.

Right now there's a reported GoFundMe account set up so people can donate to this initiative. We're told local businesses, funeral homes and Alderman Johnson have donated.